Monitoring Reports

During periods of drought, the Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) helps manage the Washington metropolitan area water supply system by coordinating withdrawals from the Potomac River and off-river reservoirs and recommending releases from upstream reservoirs when forecasted flow in the river is not sufficient to meet expected needs. These needs include water demands and an environmental flow-by of 100 million gallons per day (MGD) on the Potomac River at Little Falls dam near Washington, D.C.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Monday 09/14/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Mon, 09/14/2015 - 09:00

A small area in the southwestern portion of the basin saw between 0.1 and 0.25 inches of rain over the past 24 hours. MARFC is not predicting any rain until this weekend.

Daily Flows:
Little Falls gage flow 09/13: 1410 MGD (2180 cfs)
Little Falls gage flow 09/14: 1460 MGD (est., based on recently available real time data) (2260 cfs)
Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.
Point of Rocks flow 09/13: 1320 MGD (2040 cfs)
Point of Rocks flow 09/14: 1290 MGD (est., based on recently available real time data) (2000 cfs)

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Sunday 09/13/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Sun, 09/13/2015 - 09:00

The vast majority of the basin saw some amount of rainfall yesterday, ranging from 0.1 to 1 inch in most areas. Isolated areas received up to 1.5 inches. MARFC's current forecast predicts no rain in the basin over the next three days. Flow at Point of Rocks is expected to drop back below 2,000 cfs in the next day or two.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Friday 09/11/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Fri, 09/11/2015 - 09:00

Most of the basin received 0.1 to 0.5 an inch of rain over the last 24 hours, with localized areas receiving over an inch. No rain is expected today except trace amounts in the far western portion of the basin. Widespread precipitation is expected across the basin on Saturday and Sunday. MARFC predicts 0.5 to 2 inches of rain over the next 3 days with heaviest amounts in the northwest portion of the basin.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Thursday 09/10/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Thu, 09/10/2015 - 09:00

Much of the basin received 0.1 to 0.5 inches of rain over the last 24 hours. A small area in the far western portion of the basin received up to 1.0 inch. Today, between 0.25 and 1.25 inches may fall across the basin. There is another chance for rain on Saturday. MARFC is showing accumulations between 0.50 and 1.50 inches, with the larger amounts to the northwest.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Wednesday 09/09/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Wed, 09/09/2015 - 09:00

According to National Weather Service Multisensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE), essentially no rain fell in the basin during the past 24 hours. Relief from the dry conditions may be on the way however; quantitative precipitation forecasts predict approximately 3/4 inches over the basin in the next 3 days and 1.5 to 2.5 inches in the next 5 days.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Saturday 09/05/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Sat, 09/05/2015 - 09:00

Flows in the basin have been holding relatively steady. Scattered thunderstorms occurred throughout the basin over the past 24 hours and the NWS's Meteorological Model-based Ensemble Forecast System (MMEFS) predicts that flows in the Potomac River will rise slightly over the next several days. Little precipitation is expected in the basin during the next three days.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Friday 09/04/2015)

Submitted by admin1 on Fri, 09/04/2015 - 09:00

The Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center's 24-hour accumulated precipitation map is showing that scattered areas in the basin received 0 to 1.2 inches of rain yesterday. The 3-day forecast show an accumulation between 0.1 and 0.5 is possible, with the higher amounts likely to the central area of the basin. National Weather Service ensemble river forecast for the next four days calls for rising flows at Point of Rocks.